Just like her sisters, Emma Skelton loves to compete in the Creative Arts Cooking Contests. Emma won second place with this tasty recipe and at the time was just six years old! She looks forward to competing for many years to come. Keep up the good work, Emma! Recipe name: Emma’s Sleepover Friends
INGREDIENTS
4 egg whites at room temperature
½ tsp. cream of tartar
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup granulated sugar
½ – 1 tsp. lemon extract
Crushed lemon drops
RECIPE
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place the room temperature egg whites in a mixing bowl. Using a whisk attachment, beat until frothy. Add cream of tartar and salt and continue to whisk until the mixture forms soft peaks – which means when you pull the whisk out, the mixture comes up into a peak that falls over and doesn’t hold its shape. Continue to mix egg whites, slowly adding sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, letting it completely dissolve into mixture each time. The meringue will begin to turn shiny and stiffen. Watch mixture closely and once sugar has all been added and meringue forms stiff peaks – which means when you lift the whisk, meringue forms a peak that stays up and holds it shape. Turn off the mixer and add your lemon extract. Start with a ½ teaspoon and add more as you see fit. Gently fold the extract into the meringue. If you want to add color, let a drop of food coloring run down the inside of your pastry bag in a few places. Add the meringue to a pastry bag and pipe it onto a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with crushed lemon drops. Bake at 250 degrees for 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the meringues sit in oven until it is completely cooled, which can take one to two hours. Do not open oven during baking or cooling! Serve immediately after cooling or store in an airtight container.
**Emma named the cookies ‘Sleepover Friends’ because after they’re done baking, she leaves them in the oven overnight to cool down, like a sleepover for the cookies!
